The Window: August 5, 2021

The Pane: Highland Partnership

In a conversation with religious leaders trying to entrap Jesus into giving the wrong answer, they asked him what the greatest commandment was. Without hesitation, Jesus said, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

As followers of Jesus, we know that the tangible expression of our faith in Jesus is to live as He lived and to love as He loves. But with so many needs in this world, it isn't easy to know where to begin or what to do. The magnitude of the needs can immobilize us from not doing anything at all.

Sometimes, the most profound act of love is not in grand gestures but in the quiet and consistent moments to be the presence of Jesus with others.

One of the ways UBC has been serving out of love in quiet and consistency is through our partnership with Highland Elementary School. For decades, members of UBC have invested time, resources, and presence among the students, their families, and faculty of the school.

As a new school year dawns, we are stepping forward to collaborate with the school in several ways.

First, throughout the year, we will collect items for Care Packages for each faculty member. Second, we are recruiting participants for the school’s Reading Friends program, in which volunteers can share 30-minutes with an individual student either online or in person. Third, we will provide families in need of a Thanksgiving meal kit to prepare at home. Fourth, we will wrap new books for each student in December. Finally, we will provide space for the school to celebrate the graduation of Pre-K and 5th graders at the end of the school year.

As we boldly step forward in this new school year, we build off the legacy of the many hours and resources that UBC members have poured into this partnership, knowing that their excellent work has paved the way for our present and future relationship with Highland Elementary.

I hope that you, along with your Sunday School and Spiritual Formation group, will consider collaborating with us in these tangible ways to love our neighbors. You can find more information about these opportunities in the Window and on the website.

Summer Gathering & Kids Club August 8th

Join our last Summer Gathering and Kids Club on August 8th at 4:00 pm. Kids, ages infant through 5th grade, will enjoy activities, crafts, games, lessons, and dinner. Drop off will occur at the Children’s Branch entrance. Register here by Saturday, August 7th: https://form.jotform.com/211965313899165

Adults can pick one of the following activities: baking art, party games, brush lettering art, or disc golf. A dessert social will wrap up the event at 6:00 pm. Please sign up for one of the activities by visiting this link or calling the office: https:// form.jotform.com/211966110938155

The Summer Gatherings are intended to be a time to build stronger connections within and through UBC. We hope you will not only participate but invite others to join you.

Kid's Club

Weather permitting: Children under 5 will be on the preschool playground with some gentle water games. Grade school kids - the fun is on! We’ll be doing a relay and enjoying fun in the water.

Parents: please pack a towel for your child.

We Need Your Help as Our Church Grows

As out church continues to grow, we need your help. Consider volunteering for one of the above.

MISSIONS

Make a Care Package for Highland Elementary Staff

We invite you to sign up to provide a care package for one of these 41 staff members. The care package should include candy, a $6 gift card to Lighthouse Coffee or CC’s, a small hand sanitizer bottle, lip balm, and something fun of your choosing.

We want to equip you to be the hands and feet of Jesus by pouring time, care, and attention into making one of these packages. This is why we are asking you to prepare the packages versus donating to the project.

Once you have purchased the items, drop by the church office to fill one of the official package bags, and write a personal note to put on the finishing touch. The office will be open on Sundays 9-11:30 am, and Monday through Thursday, 9 am-4:30 pm.

Ecuador Mission Immersion

Thank you for taking the time to meet with us yesterday to explore the 2022 Ecuador Mission Immersion.

We are pleased to announce that the trip will be held on July 18/19 through 26/27 (37) from yesterday's feedback.

Please remember that the $100 deposit is due by September 12, which will also be our next team meeting.

In the next few hours, you'll receive several Google calendar invitations to key dates and meetings. Please RSVP to the calendar invites to help with clear lines of communication for these key dates.

As we get close to some of the later meetings (January, May, and June), we will set specific times.

In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

I look forward to collaborating with you.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteers for Soccer Academy Wanted

UBC's Soccer Academy returns in September. We need 12 different volunteers each Saturday to make the Academy function.

Sign up to help for one or as many Saturdays as you are able. Volunteers can sign up here for set-up, player check-in, group guiding, coaching, snack distribution, and participant care: https://form.jotform.com/211653094079155.

Welcome Tanya Parks by Signing Up for a Care Week

We want you to be a part of welcoming the Parks family to South Louisiana with hospitality and care. You are invited to sign up for one of ten care weeks. This is an opportunity to bring a meal or care package to the Parks family. You are encouraged to approach this with your unique personality and giftedness.

Each week has two spots available to allow more members to share hospitality. Sign up for a care week by clicking on this link or calling the office: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4da8a82aa5f85-care1.

RELATIONSHIPS

Young Adults Night Out, August 20th, 5:30 PM

Join our Young Adults Night Out on the third Friday, 5:30-8:00 pm. This month, we will meet on August 20th.

The group will gather at a local restaurant for dining. Realizing not everyone can arrive by 5:30 pm, plan on joining the group as you are able. If you have kids, you can drop them off at the church, beginning at 5:15 pm, for dinner and activities for $10 for the first child and $5 for each additional child.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, August 18th here: https://form.jotform.com/211795585027160. The restaurant location will be texted to you.

HOPE Grief Support Groups

Fall Soccer Academy Registration Ends on August 30th

UBC's Soccer Academy returns in September for six one-hour Saturday sessions for children ages three to ten years old.

The six-week academy begins on Saturday, September 18. The academy dates are September 18, 25, October 2, 9, 16, and 23.

Instead of trying to schedule your entire week around scattered soccer practices and games, especially if you have more than one kid playing, register your kid(s) for a series of 1-hour sessions on Saturdays for six weeks. Your child will learn the fundamentals of soccer through fun activities and a scrimmage at the end of each session, all in the comfort of one hour per Saturday for six weeks.

The first player in your family is $45, with each additional player at $35.

Registration closes August 30. For more information and to register, visit www.ubc-br.org/academy.

Retirees' Luncheon with Tanya

Join Tanya in the Chapel August 11th at noon for a lunch gathering. Bring your own lunch and we will provide dessert and drinks.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION

Why Sunday School & Spiritual Formation Groups? A Weekly Dialogue

One of the successes we celebrate about UBC is the health of our Sunday School and Spiritual Formation Groups. We’d like to explore why.

Each week, we ask these groups to spend five minutes at the beginning of their meeting to discuss a provided question. Insight from the group’s discussion can be sent to Andy (andy@ubc-br.org) and Eric (eric@ubc-br.org).

August 8: One of the common strengths of our existing groups is intergenerational connections. Intergenerational refers to the interconnectedness of people, regardless of age, for the mutual benefit of all.

What are existing expressions of intergenerational connections that our group has experienced? How do these connections in our group strengthen UBC as a whole?

Noon Summer Book Club

Join our Noon Summer Book Club on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays for a conversation about Jemar Tisby’s new book, “How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice.”

The group will meet in-person and online in the Fellowship Hall through August.

Purchase the book on Amazon in digital, audio, and hardback editions.

For those joining via Zoom, use the Mtg ID: 314 698 8114.

Please contact Andy via email (andy@ubc-br.org) or phone (225.766.9474) if you plan to join.

Reading Schedule: • August 12, pages 181-206

• August 26, no reading

Audacious Series Daily Prayer

This week’s prayer is one of: Thanksgiving

Prayer written by poet Samuel F. Pugh.

O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry; When I have work, help me to remember the jobless; When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all; When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer, And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency; bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help; By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. Amen.

Participate in CBF's General Assembly August 26-27

CBF will host another virtual annual gathering online. There are workshops, plenary sessions, and worship experiences that you can join online for free. For more information about the opportunity and to register for the event, visit https:// cbf.net/general-assembly.

Sunday Name Tag Project

Get to know new and unfamiliar faces on Sundays by picking up a name tag as you enter the worship space. The name tags will be in the Narthex center table. Write your name and answer each week’s conversation starter question.

CHURCH OF THE NATIONS

Church of the Nations in the Sanctuary this Sunday

Come join us for worship in the chapel this Sunday at 10:30am! Before worship at 10am, in the sanctuary narthex (outside through the courtyard), we will have Coffee and Community!

KIDS

Spiritual Formation Series

Please bring your children to join us for our current Spiritual Formation Series, “Seeking Justice Together.” The series is led by Rev. Tanya Parks and takes place in the Children’s Branch during Sunday school.

YOUTH

No Youth Group this Sunday, August 8th

For more information, contact Eric at eric@ubc-br.org or visit www.ubc-br.org/youth

GENERAL UPDATES

Save The Dates

Update from the Facilities Team

UBC operates in a campus physical plant with buildings constructed from the 1950s to the 1990s. Understandably many of the building systems that operate in these facilities have exceeded their expected life and require updates and or replacement. This reality has become more acute with the summer heat, and multiple efforts are currently ongoing. Thankfully, our finance team has been anticipating this need and has set aside funds to make improvements.

Current activities fall into 3 general categories as outlined below. We will update you periodically as repairs are completed, and improvements are planned.

Contracted preventative maintenance and repairs:

• Regular maintenance of air conditioning systems and related components

• Repairs to systems components to keep air conditioning systems operational on an as-needed basis

• Juggling air conditioning systems where possible to minimize the impact of outages on church operations

• Activities are monitored daily by Don Garland and Aaron Biggers

Emergency Repairs that are larger and more urgent than can be addressed by our maintenance contract. Ongoing efforts include:

• Monitoring of campus electrical service and testing of primary campus electrical service components

• Restoration of the electrical service for the Fellowship Hall (currently scheduled this week)

•Replacement of one compressor for the Sanctuary air conditioning unit

• Activities are monitored by the Facilities Team and the Finance Committee

Planning for timely system updates to replace old equipment and Save energy:

• Team has engaged a consulting engineer to evaluate respective systems and recommend priority improvements

• Effort is evaluating spaces and components to optimize overall campus performance

•Effort will result in planned improvements when they are least disruptive to church operations

• Plans are being developed by the Facilities Team for review and approval by the Governing Board

In response to the growing challenges, the Governing Board established a subcommittee to study the short term and long-term needs - AC/Heating, Electrical, and Roofing - and resolve the needs expeditiously. The subcommittee is composed of Ken Tipton, Don Garland, Aaron Biggers, Terry Hill on the technical side, David Crifasi on Finance, and Martha Forbes and Russ Futrell on the Governing Board.

While UBC has set aside funds for emergency facility purposes, we encourage you to continue to give out of faithfulness to our growing church. Gifts to UBC can also include gifting stocks, mutual funds, or ETFs. You can explore some of these options with the Finance Committee and your accountant.

How To Give

GIVE: https://www.ubc-br.org/give

Quarterly Business Meeting

If you are interested in joining our Quarterly Business Meeting, stay in the Sanctuary after service on August 15th.

STAY CONNECTED DURING THE PANDEMIC

Mask Policy Update

UBC once again recommends both vaccinated and unvaccinated participants wear a mask while indoors on campus.